Florida Keys snorkeling locations
- Thread starter Ron Reefman
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Ron Reefman
Active member
If you couldn't tell, Ron gets really excited about picking things up and looking at them
Mostly rocks in the shallow ocean, it's kind of like the box of Chocolates that Forest Gump's mom told him about, because you never know what you are going to find.:thumbsup:
BTW, I'm not sure if I've ever told you this Ron, but our favorite place to eat when we are in Marathon is at Burdines Waterfront. Its a small place above a fuel dock, just down the road from the Blackfin. Great food, a relaxed atmosphere and a nice sunset view from the deck, just bring some bug spray for the no-see-ums.
Ron Reefman
Active member
You mentioned it when the club was looking for a place to eat when they did the field trip in June. Elaine and I when there on our last trip and enjoyed it a lot. Cool location, lots of nice outdoor seating (as long as it isn't raining) good service and good food. We were there late enough in the season that there weren't any bugs.
Have you ever been to 'The Wreck' on Grassy Key? It's next to the Dolphin Research Center. Good food and a good selection, very comfortable atmosphere, part bar and pat restaurant. Oh, and they sell a cool T-shirt as well. haha.
Have you ever been to 'The Wreck' on Grassy Key? It's next to the Dolphin Research Center. Good food and a good selection, very comfortable atmosphere, part bar and pat restaurant. Oh, and they sell a cool T-shirt as well. haha.
Ron Reefman
Active member
I hope you have a warm wet suit. The last time we were down there in mid December a few years ago it was darn cold! I have a 3 or 4 mil wet suit and it still only took about an hour and I was getting chilly.
BTW, I got the wet suit at a Salvation Army Store here in Cape Coral. I can only assume from somebody who did diving up north and didn't need it down here. It's a 2 piece and came with heavy gloves, a hood and nice boots that all fit well. It was all in a flip top plastic box like you can buy at Lowes and the whole package was $15. Seriously, $15. The box almost costs that much at Lowes! I only wear it on really cold snorkels in Dec thru Feb as I have lighter wet suits and a dive skin for warmer water.
BTW, I got the wet suit at a Salvation Army Store here in Cape Coral. I can only assume from somebody who did diving up north and didn't need it down here. It's a 2 piece and came with heavy gloves, a hood and nice boots that all fit well. It was all in a flip top plastic box like you can buy at Lowes and the whole package was $15. Seriously, $15. The box almost costs that much at Lowes! I only wear it on really cold snorkels in Dec thru Feb as I have lighter wet suits and a dive skin for warmer water.
We have paddled off Sanibel and went snorkeling/spearfishing a few times this past month, and my 1.5 mil long suit was enough. I have a tendency to not get as cold as some other people, but I do have a range of wetsuits from my rash guard to a 7 mil farmer john.
We are thinking we may rent a boat from Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and go out to the patch reefs out off of Long Beach. When we were down there this summer we got to know them pretty well and there are some really nice little patches out there.
We are thinking we may rent a boat from Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and go out to the patch reefs out off of Long Beach. When we were down there this summer we got to know them pretty well and there are some really nice little patches out there.
G_Sanab922
New member
Not only is it cold down here right now it's also very windy. Icy, make sure to check NOAA before you head out. It's been 20kts+ most of this month and don't think it'll be slowing down. Phillip from KP aquatics told me it's been pretty turbid these days.
Great thread.... Big fan of the keys.... One of my favorite places to visit
I have always wanted to either rent a boat or bring a boat down there to do some snorkeling and also visit some off the beating path areas. ,y divorce was finalized 2 weeks ago and I am debating in heading to the keys late spring or early summer. Any opinions on if it's a good or bad idea to bring a boat? Found a few 15ft Seadoo speedsters locally which is what I would bring down. I figure I would probably tent camp at either Boyd's or the Koa.
I have always wanted to either rent a boat or bring a boat down there to do some snorkeling and also visit some off the beating path areas. ,y divorce was finalized 2 weeks ago and I am debating in heading to the keys late spring or early summer. Any opinions on if it's a good or bad idea to bring a boat? Found a few 15ft Seadoo speedsters locally which is what I would bring down. I figure I would probably tent camp at either Boyd's or the Koa.
Ron Reefman
Active member
viggen, welcome to the thread. I have a good friend who lives in Dayton. We raced sports cars together when I lived in Columbus.
My condolences and/or congratulations on the divorce. Been there twice myself and now happily married for 10 years, and my wife has been divorced twice before as well!
On to the Keys trip info:
I think late spring and early summer are great as the water is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and the threat of afternoon thunderstorms (every other day by mid summer) and hurricanes (become a bit of a threat by the end of July).
My take on it is, if you have a boat, bringing it along can't be a bad idea. But if you don't have a boat, don't buy one just for this trip. There are lots of places to snorkel off the beach and see tons of cool stuff. Bahia Honda State Park is probably the best, but there are several free areas that are almost as good. And you can rent a kayak and get to a number of small islands just off shore like Little Bahia Honda (1/4 mile out), Little Money (1/4 mile out), and Money Key (3/4 mile out, but less than 1/4 mile from the Seven Mile Bridge). And then there are a lot of charter boats that go out to Looe Key, Sombrero Key and others every day (even twice a day) if the weather is good.
How long has it been since you were late in the Keys? What areas have you been to?
My condolences and/or congratulations on the divorce. Been there twice myself and now happily married for 10 years, and my wife has been divorced twice before as well!
On to the Keys trip info:
I think late spring and early summer are great as the water is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and the threat of afternoon thunderstorms (every other day by mid summer) and hurricanes (become a bit of a threat by the end of July).
My take on it is, if you have a boat, bringing it along can't be a bad idea. But if you don't have a boat, don't buy one just for this trip. There are lots of places to snorkel off the beach and see tons of cool stuff. Bahia Honda State Park is probably the best, but there are several free areas that are almost as good. And you can rent a kayak and get to a number of small islands just off shore like Little Bahia Honda (1/4 mile out), Little Money (1/4 mile out), and Money Key (3/4 mile out, but less than 1/4 mile from the Seven Mile Bridge). And then there are a lot of charter boats that go out to Looe Key, Sombrero Key and others every day (even twice a day) if the weather is good.
How long has it been since you were late in the Keys? What areas have you been to?
What type of cars racing did you do? I don't have the $$$$ to race but I am getting back into drivers schools, slowly building a Miata form some track time. Putnam park and mid Ohio are what I plan on hitting this year.
Yea good and bad... It's my second divorce.... Hardest thing is I dont have my own kids and am or I guess was their step dad.... Sucks not seeing them at all.... Most didn't even know that I wasn't the kids dad... I play soccer with one of their old coaches and he said it took me 3 years to realize you were t their dad.....
I have wanted a small boat for a while, and would use it up here at times.... Thus it wouldn't be only for a trip down south.
I have stated at Boyd's, blue water key and sugarloaf Koa. Spent time at Bahia Honda snorkeling however last time I think 4 years ago tropical depressions were moving by thus we were body surfing not snorkeling. Went to the dry Tortugas back in 08 if I recall and years before that I did a snorkeling trip out to the reefs...... This thread has helped a lot of finding other places to snorkel off the shore....
Most snorkeling I have done off the shores were off of key west....
Yea good and bad... It's my second divorce.... Hardest thing is I dont have my own kids and am or I guess was their step dad.... Sucks not seeing them at all.... Most didn't even know that I wasn't the kids dad... I play soccer with one of their old coaches and he said it took me 3 years to realize you were t their dad.....
I have wanted a small boat for a while, and would use it up here at times.... Thus it wouldn't be only for a trip down south.
I have stated at Boyd's, blue water key and sugarloaf Koa. Spent time at Bahia Honda snorkeling however last time I think 4 years ago tropical depressions were moving by thus we were body surfing not snorkeling. Went to the dry Tortugas back in 08 if I recall and years before that I did a snorkeling trip out to the reefs...... This thread has helped a lot of finding other places to snorkel off the shore....
Most snorkeling I have done off the shores were off of key west....
Ron Reefman
Active member
Ha! Building a Miata... what a crazy small world! My daily driver (and current auto-x and track day car) is an 08' Miata with an after market turbo and currently makes just under 300hp. This pic is from Palm Beach International last summer at an SCCA Track Night in America event. I just got new 16"x 8" wheels and 245/16 Hoosier slicks for the new auto-x season.
From 1980 thru 1995 I raced 4 different cars in 6 different classes from SSC (Showroom Stock C) in a 1979 Fiat X-1/9 to EP (E Production) in a 1987 Toyota MR2. Mostly around the Mid-west. I never ran Putnam Park but I ran a lot at Mid-Ohio. Second wife is still the liaison to Mid-Ohio for OVR (Ohio Valley Region of the SCCA in Columbus).
The kids thing has to be tough. I never felt 'mature' enough to have kids and none of my 3 wives wanted them either, so that was OK. I was having too much fun being a big kid myself and all the wives wanted careers rather than kids. That made funding a race car a lot easier. My friend in Dayton owned HIPPI Racing which owned, rented and maintained 5 to 8 SCCA Spec Racers until a few years ago. Now he plays golf and plays with go-karts (much cheaper and less work).
I have a love/hate relationship with boats. Moved to Florida and got a fairly new 26' MacGregor sailboat for a few years. I loved sailing but it was way too much work getting it in and out of the water. Then we got a very old 21' Proline 'walk around cabin' which was a cool boat but being old had giant issues. Now we have an almost new 11' Zodiac with a 20hp Suzuki. Easy to tow, easy to get in and out of the water, almost no maintenance and fun in the Keys for getting away from shore to little islands where we can snorkel areas with no other people around.
You mentioned body surfing at Bahia Honda due to a tropical storm. Do you know about the Horseshoe? It's just a bit further southwest from Bahia Honda on Spanish Harbor Key. It's so well protected from the weather that there is almost always worthwhile snorkeling there.
We have never done any snorkeling further south than the Middle Keys (except for a trip to the Dry Tortugas). Any suggestions for 'off the beach' snorkeling down toward Key West? Either this summer or next summer (when Elaine retires) we will do a camping trip out to the Dry Tortugas. The snorkeling is almost pristine and Fort Jefferson is really cool and historic. We want to go when there will be a new moon so the sky will be dark, you're 70 miles from Key West's lights... and if the sky is clear the Milky Way should be pretty spectacular stretched out across the sky!
From 1980 thru 1995 I raced 4 different cars in 6 different classes from SSC (Showroom Stock C) in a 1979 Fiat X-1/9 to EP (E Production) in a 1987 Toyota MR2. Mostly around the Mid-west. I never ran Putnam Park but I ran a lot at Mid-Ohio. Second wife is still the liaison to Mid-Ohio for OVR (Ohio Valley Region of the SCCA in Columbus).
The kids thing has to be tough. I never felt 'mature' enough to have kids and none of my 3 wives wanted them either, so that was OK. I was having too much fun being a big kid myself and all the wives wanted careers rather than kids. That made funding a race car a lot easier. My friend in Dayton owned HIPPI Racing which owned, rented and maintained 5 to 8 SCCA Spec Racers until a few years ago. Now he plays golf and plays with go-karts (much cheaper and less work).
I have a love/hate relationship with boats. Moved to Florida and got a fairly new 26' MacGregor sailboat for a few years. I loved sailing but it was way too much work getting it in and out of the water. Then we got a very old 21' Proline 'walk around cabin' which was a cool boat but being old had giant issues. Now we have an almost new 11' Zodiac with a 20hp Suzuki. Easy to tow, easy to get in and out of the water, almost no maintenance and fun in the Keys for getting away from shore to little islands where we can snorkel areas with no other people around.
You mentioned body surfing at Bahia Honda due to a tropical storm. Do you know about the Horseshoe? It's just a bit further southwest from Bahia Honda on Spanish Harbor Key. It's so well protected from the weather that there is almost always worthwhile snorkeling there.
We have never done any snorkeling further south than the Middle Keys (except for a trip to the Dry Tortugas). Any suggestions for 'off the beach' snorkeling down toward Key West? Either this summer or next summer (when Elaine retires) we will do a camping trip out to the Dry Tortugas. The snorkeling is almost pristine and Fort Jefferson is really cool and historic. We want to go when there will be a new moon so the sky will be dark, you're 70 miles from Key West's lights... and if the sky is clear the Milky Way should be pretty spectacular stretched out across the sky!
Small world indeed!!! Which turbo do you have! TDR being in Florida? I am also doing a turbo as well as a 2.5L swap. Do you have aftermarket brakes? Or just better pads?
I am not familiar with that racing team, I do know a few people who race mostly solo and Porsche club. The nice thing about Putnam is if you go off track... You are in a field... LOTS of runoff area
Yes boats w/o a doubt can be a pita. I want something simple... Grew up with boats and for a few years had a jet ski.... I am considering seadoo's 15 ft jet boat. Like your zodiac easy to load, trailer, maintain...
I didn't know about the horseshoe when we're were there but I do now! I am debating on heading west to colorado for some jeep trails and mountain biking or to the keys for snorkeling, relaxing, etc.... If I head to the keys spending a night or two at the Tortugas is something I am considering. As stated a awesome place
I am not familiar with that racing team, I do know a few people who race mostly solo and Porsche club. The nice thing about Putnam is if you go off track... You are in a field... LOTS of runoff area
Yes boats w/o a doubt can be a pita. I want something simple... Grew up with boats and for a few years had a jet ski.... I am considering seadoo's 15 ft jet boat. Like your zodiac easy to load, trailer, maintain...
I didn't know about the horseshoe when we're were there but I do now! I am debating on heading west to colorado for some jeep trails and mountain biking or to the keys for snorkeling, relaxing, etc.... If I head to the keys spending a night or two at the Tortugas is something I am considering. As stated a awesome place
kenneth wolfe
New member
here is some porn for ya..
G_Sanab922
New member
Sorry to break up your car stuff here LOL but just so you know the keys are VERY packed right now. And from what I've seen and heard it's not going to let down for a month or two. My in laws came from Miami to key largo and it took them 2 1/2 hours to get to my house. I can't imagine someone going to key west. Probably 6-7 hours.
Viggen for the time of year you plan to come I think a 15ft seadoo should be fine, especially in the middle/lower keys where their is less boat traffic. We've had renters that bring their boats up to the greater lakes. They are always glad they bring their boat. Renting can be good but there's nothing like having your own boat and having the experience out on the water.
Viggen for the time of year you plan to come I think a 15ft seadoo should be fine, especially in the middle/lower keys where their is less boat traffic. We've had renters that bring their boats up to the greater lakes. They are always glad they bring their boat. Renting can be good but there's nothing like having your own boat and having the experience out on the water.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Much as I would like to chat more car stuff, I try to keep it to a minimum.
G Sanab922, I assume this is mostly the typical snowbird impact? We get the same thing over here in Ft Myers. The traffic is much heavier than the rest of the year and Ft Myers Beach, Sanibel beaches and Naples beaches are much more busy.
G Sanab922, I assume this is mostly the typical snowbird impact? We get the same thing over here in Ft Myers. The traffic is much heavier than the rest of the year and Ft Myers Beach, Sanibel beaches and Naples beaches are much more busy.
G_Sanab922
New member
Yea it's snowbirds but it wasn't that bad in Nov or early December. It's picking up like last year but a little late. And last year was a very packed winter. I like giving the heads up for people who plan to come because it can easily ruin a trip when you expect a 2-3 hour ride and it's a lot longer. And on the water it's worse obviously.
Down here we get all the drunks and on your side you get the people who relax lol. I love the beaches in Sanibel, but I couldn't imagine how long it'd take with that low speed limit road :blown:
Cars... Fish... The ocean...
Yea I could only imagine what it's like down there now. It's been 10-15 years since I went down during the spring break time and it was always slow going.... Early 90's the first time I went down during that time it wasn't to bad.
Last time I was down there I did look into renting a boat at the camping area, if I recall it was close to $200 a day for a small beatup pontoon. I think it would be a lot of fun to be able to find a small island/beach/sandbar whatever to relax at w/o a bunch of people around. Unless it's girls in bikini's then I could deal with the spectra scenery
Yea I could only imagine what it's like down there now. It's been 10-15 years since I went down during the spring break time and it was always slow going.... Early 90's the first time I went down during that time it wasn't to bad.
Last time I was down there I did look into renting a boat at the camping area, if I recall it was close to $200 a day for a small beatup pontoon. I think it would be a lot of fun to be able to find a small island/beach/sandbar whatever to relax at w/o a bunch of people around. Unless it's girls in bikini's then I could deal with the spectra scenery
Ron Reefman
Active member
Elaine and I always find it so relaxing to snorkel for a couple of hours at an out island like Little Money, Little Bahia Honda, Money or Molassas and then take a break for lunch. Just laying in a small Zodiac is laying sideways leaning up on one side tube and the legs draped over the other side tube, but it's so easy to unwind. It's quiet, gentle waves, comfortable water temps, warm air and sunshine! God I can't wait for May or June!
